News

New chance for Europe – New opportunities for Hungary

2009. 12. 02.

The MEP, at the conference named New Chance for Europe – New Opportunities for Hungary organized by the Fidesz, that this compromise is good and should be undertaken. He highlighted that, with the adoption of the Treaty, the European Union could really focus on the continent's challenges instead of its internal institutional questions.

The politician of Fidesz said that MEPs Kinga Gál and Edit Bauer had put the Slovak Language Law firmly on the agenda of the Parliament. He promised that they will stand up for the Hungarian language and the Hungarian minorities as never before, especially if they are threatened or if they cannot exercise their rights.
In his speech, MEP József Szájer, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group, stated that Hungary has not used the opportunities given by the Union so far. To many Hungarian citizens the EU has yet to prove that it adds anything to their lives.
On the issue of László Andor becoming the Comissioner of Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, József Szájer said that this marks a huge decline for Hungary. This post is not one with significant economic clout. Furthermore, questions of employment and social affairs are the competence of the States not the EU.

The politician emphasized that the EU should pay much more attention to ethnic and minority issues in the future. These conflicts require certain responses from the EU, he added. Europe could collapse because of a conflict originating from these issues.

Concerning the future EU Presidency of Hungary in 2011, he stated that this would be an opportunity for Hungary to prove that, after two terms in office of the Socialists, an economically damaged and bankrupt country will have come back to Europe. This is an opportunity that should be taken.

He talked about the issue that moral values, expectations regarding Europe, and the framework of the institutions, have to be isolated from each other.
MEP Kinga Gal emphasized that the Charter of Fundamental Rights, a part of the Lisbon Treaty, strengthens the framework of the protection of human rights in the EU. The Treaty recognizes the rights included in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, therefore they have a binding force, and are now part EU law. She highlighted the prohibition of discrimination of national minorities.

According to MEP Eniko Gyori the voice of the Hungarian representatives can be more powerful as the role of the national Parliaments will grow. The politician of Fidesz mentioned that it was a weakness of last year’s politics in the Union that Hungary had no active allies, and it is very difficult to achieve aims alone in the EU. A new government would make a difference on this issue, she said.

Fidesz EPP newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter below and receive the latest news from the Fidesz-KDNP delegation in the European Parliament.